You have to admit it, celebrity chefs fulfill more than the role of being cooks. While they most probably came to fame because of their cooking skills, they are also engaged in so many other activities that they are involved in. This time, we have Michael Quinn encouraging people to stay away from the dangers of alcohol and drugs. The Lancashire Telegraph recently did a feature on him:

An educational visit from a celebrity chef educated Blackburn College hospitality students about the dangers of drink and drug abuse.

Michael Quinn, centre left, told his harrowing tale of how he went from receiving an MBE, being a head chef at the Ritz and cooking for the Queen, to becoming penniless, homeless and narrowly escaping death because of alcohol abuse.

The chef uses his personal experiences to warn young people of the slippery slope to alcohol and substance addiction in the industry, and delivers seminars at various institutions all over the world.

While a good drink is always welcome to top off a great meal, it is general knowledge that moderation is the key. Then again, sometimes indulgent tendencies get the better of us. To this, the celebrity chef says:

“Alcohol is readily available in hotels, restaurants and bars and because it can be a stressful job, young people need to be educated about the dangers of getting into bad habits.”

For those who didn’t know, Quinn was actually an alcoholic himself. The realization that he was one was a big thing for him and now he is using his experience to reach out to others as well. Bravo!